Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode
The Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode, also known as the Brisbane Witch Head Number in some parts of the United States (Texas and Kentucky), is a headcode system. It only consists of four digits. When the Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode was introduced in 1960, the version was very limited and only covered destinations of Australia. It was usually numeric. In the first version, the first digit must be 0 to 9, B or R. The second digit was usually numeric, but for Queensland destinations, capital letters B, C, D or E were used. In 1981, the system was revised and included maximum elevation, destination, gender, race etc. Since 1960, the last digit is always a number. The Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode is maintained by the Brisbane Dracula and Sorcery Association (BD&SA), established in 1878, an organisation which also manages the fancy dress party (called 'The Witch's Book') since 2010, as well as Vampire Day (which was first celebrated in Brisbane on 8 July 1868 as per traditional Brisbane calendar, then it was spread to US and UK during the 1970s). Usually, an italicised suffix letter is used to distinguish codes sharing one another (e.g. EW02''A'' vs. EW02''B'', EW02''A'' refers to a scary witch flying to Woombye in Sunshine Coast, EW02''B'' refers to a scary witch flying to Willawong in Brisbane). History From the founding of Brisbane Dracula & Sorcery Association in 1878 up until the introduction of the Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode in 1960, only women are allowed to ride on broomsticks and the use of witch's dress was customary. With the introduction of the four-digit Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode, the use of witch's costume gradually decreased from 100% to 65% in Brisbane, and to 46% in 1975. Men are allowed to fly on broomsticks since 1960. The very first system was limited. In 1981, the system upgraded to an alphanumeric state and included maximum elevation, destination, gender and race. By this time the use of witch's costume while riding on a flying broomstick slightly decreased to 42%, with the use of appropriate clothing became more common (58% wear appropriate clothing while riding on a broom in Brisbane during this time). As of 2015, 62% wear appropriate clothing while riding on the broom (last digit is an even number), with 38% wearing the costume of a witch during the broom's flight (last digit is an odd number). The system The Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode is always four digits. The first three digits can either be an alphabetic or a numeric character, but the last digit must be numeric. * 1st digit: Represents the type or length of flying broomstick's handle in millimetres, the gender and the purpose. ** 0''': (all lengths) Construction work use, male ** '''1: 800 mm, male, normal use all year round ** 2''': 800 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''3: 900 mm, male, normal use all year round ** 4''': 900 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''5: 1000 mm, male, normal use all year round ** 6''': 1000 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''7: 1100 mm, male, normal use all year round ** 8''': 1100 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''9: 1200 mm, male, normal use all year round ** A''': 1200 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''B: 750 mm, male, normal use all year round ** C''': 1100 mm, female, October use only ** '''D: 1200 mm, female, October use only ** E''': (all lengths) scary witch, female ** '''F: 1000 mm, male, Christmas time use only ** G''': 900 mm, male, Christmas time use only ** '''H: 900 mm, female, October use only ** I''': (not to be used) – Too similar to number '1' ** '''J: 950 mm, male, normal use all year round ** K''': 950 mm, male, Christmas time use only ** '''L: 1200 mm, male, Christmas time use only ** M''': 1200 mm, female, Christmas time use only ** '''M: 950 mm, female, October use only ** N''': 1150 mm, male, normal use all year round ** '''O: (not to be used) – Too similar to number '0' ** P''': 950 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''Q: 950 mm, female, Christmas time use only ** R''': 1050 mm, male, normal use all year round ** '''S: 1050 mm, female, normal use all year round ** S''': 1150 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''T: 850 mm, male, normal use all year round ** U''': 850 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''V: 1150 mm, female, Christmas time use only ** W''': (all lengths, male/female) broomstick carrying more than one user ** '''X: 1300 mm, male, normal use all year round ** Y''': 1300 mm, female, normal use all year round ** '''Z: (all lengths) Construction work use, female * 2nd digit: Represents the scheduled destination of the broomstick. ** Sunshine Coast (NOTE: Destination codes are taken from the first letter of the suburb except for a few suburbs as they were assigned a number as a destination code.) *** 0''': Eumundi *** '''2: Nambour *** 3''': Maroochy River *** '''4: Forest Glen *** 5''': Harper Creek *** '''6: Kawana Island *** 7''': Aroona *** '''8: Cooroy *** 9''': Palmwoods *** '''A: Alexandra Headland *** B''': Beerwah *** '''C: Caloundra *** D''': Diamond Valley *** '''E: Eudlo *** F''': Flaxton *** '''G: Glass House Mountains *** H''': Highworth *** '''I: Ilkley *** K''': Kawana Waters *** '''L: Landsborough *** M''': Minyama *** '''N: Noosa Heads *** O''': Obi Obi *** '''P: Pelican Waters *** R''': Rosemount *** '''S: Sunshine Beach *** T''': Tinbeerwah *** '''V: Verrierdale *** W''': Woombye *** '''Y: Yandina ** Brisbane (NOTE: Destination codes are taken from the first letter of the suburb except for a few suburbs as they were assigned a number as a destination code, and there may be one letter assigned to multiple destinations.) *** 0''': Brisbane CBD *** '''1: Belmont *** 4''': Bowen Hills *** '''5: Graceville *** 6''': Norman Park *** '''7: Greenslopes *** 8''': Mount Gravatt *** '''9: Fairfield (only female) *** 9''': Everton Hills *** '''A: Ashgrove *** B''': Bracken Ridge *** '''C: Carindale *** C''': Coopers Plains (only female) *** '''D: Dutton Park *** E''': East Brisbane *** '''F: Fig Tree Pocket *** G''': Gaythorne *** '''H: Hendra *** I''': Inala (only female) *** '''I: Indooroopilly *** J''': Jamboree Heights *** '''K: Kenmore *** L''': Lutwyche *** '''M: Moorooka *** N''': Northgate *** '''O: Oxley *** P''': Petrie *** '''R: Rocklea *** S''': Sherwood *** '''S: Salisbury (only female) *** T''': Toowong *** '''U: Upper Mount Gravatt *** V''': Virginia *** '''W: Willawong (only female) *** W''': Wishart *** '''W: Wynnum (only male) *** Y''': Yeerongpilly *** '''Y: Yeronga (only female) *** Z''': Zillmere ** Gold Coast *** '''B: Broadbeach Waters *** C''': Currumbin *** '''H: Helensvale *** K''': Kingsholme *** '''M: Miami *** N''': Nerang *** '''O: Ormeau *** S''': Surfers Paradise *** '''V: Varsity Lakes ** Sydney *** A''': Avalon Beach *** '''B: Bondi Beach (only female) *** B''': Bondi Junction *** '''G: Glenmore *** M''': Meadowbank *** '''N: Newport *** Q''': Queenscliff ** Melbourne, e.g. '''X = Sandringham ** Tasmania *** H''': Hobart *** '''L: Launceston ** Outside Australia: *** South Korea, e.g. S''' = Seoul, '''J = Jeju *** Japan, e.g. T''' = Tokyo, '''N = Nagoya, O''' = Osaka, '''S = Sapporo *** Philippines, e.g. M''' = Manila, '''Q = Siquijor Island, C''' = Cebu, '''D = Davao *** Singapore: X''' *** Hong Kong: '''H *** United Kingdom, e.g. L''' = London *** Illinois, USA, e.g. '''C = Chicago, N''' = New York * '''3rd digit: Represents additional information such as the maximum elevation of the broomstick. (e.g. A''' = only up to 150m above ground). ** Green-faced witches show the letter '''G as the third digit of the Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode, e.g. EBG3 ** Construction Works (d'' is a base, ''n is a number) *** (0/Z)d''W''n: Wood *** (0/Z)d''S''n: Steel *** (0/Z)d''G''n: Granite *** (0/Z)d''R''n: Other Rock *** (0/Z)d''A''n: Asphalt ** Off-peak witches show the letter Y''' as the third digit of the Brisbane Flying Broomstick Headcode, e.g. VWY5 or G0Y1 * '''4th digit: The last digit is always a number. In most cases, for users flying on a broomstick wearing appropriate clothing, the last digit is always an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8). Odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9) are reserved for females on a broomstick dressed up like a witch.